The Bird of Prey

[Merun]

Feathery brown musk and hay absolute with orris and leather.

In the bottle, it smells like Irish cream.

 

Outside of it, the leather and musk and the creamy orris combine to make a smooth, sleek scent - like Infernal Lover, which was basically all red musk IIRC - with something feathery and dusty as a very subtle undertone, reminding me a little bit of my much-beloved Fledgling Raptor Moon. If someone told me this was just "leather and the Lab's red musk" I might have believed them, though. I love the scent as it is, but I think the feathery-brown part might come out better when aging. As it is it sort of comes and goes when worn.

I've tried a few fragrances with the lab's leather note in them and it always seemed a bit plasticky or some such to me. Not so here, it's used very well and is wonderful to smell.

[Smaragdina]

Nope.

 

If I spend some time huffing and considering, I can pick out dusty hay and a few dusty threads of worn leather. But the top note on me is just musty cardboard.

 

Not for me.

 

EDIT: Alright - after an hour or more the cardboard is gone and this is a very pretty, sweet, dusty leather/musk. But the cardboard phase isn't worth it.

Edited March 10, 2018 by Smaragdina

[mizliz2176]

I think this one is beautiful. Warm, cozy musk with sweetened leather. One of only five scents out of allll the recants I bought, that I'll be springing for full bottles of ( edible g-string, snake skin, snake kiss, smut)

[LizziesLuck]

Wet: Oooh, man do I love that musk/hay combo! It's warm and comforting, but then the leather sneaks in and makes it just a touch sensual as well. Shit. I was actually hoping I would hate this due to orris....my "need more of" list is getting absurd. Lupers always slay me.

 

 

Dry: While I still like this, the leather has amped up to totally take over, and it has become something that I wouldn't really wear, sadly. While I appreciate it, and think it's nice, I know from experience I won't reach for something that's this leather heavy. I do like it though! Really glad I got to try it (I heart my decantress even more for sending out free sniffies! I never would have purchased a decant of this one)

[zankoku_zen]

Brown musk, hay, and leather. mr. zee_zee says this smells like almonds. The musk is nice and soft, and the leather is definitely soft brown leather. Low throw, good wear length.

[mishi-bear]

Something about this on me smelled straight up like a very diluted chlorine. I put it on and immediately had a scent memory of a clean bathroom or pool room. Oddly I didn't find it repulsive, but it's definitely not fullsize worthy for me. Very strange.

[theseagrows]

i swear i smell almond when this is first applied, and quickly the brown musk comes to the forefront as well. i think i am getting hay and sweet leather now, and the orris is in the background. it becomes mostly musk and leather, and i find it reminiscent of western diamondback.

[ka hulu]

This imp from a savvy forumite (thank you!) instantly brings memories of standing in the wide doorway of a stable or barn, at right about this time of year as the weather is turning. In the imp, I want to say I sense cinnamon. 

 

Wet : My teen daughter says it smells good and bad at the same time. For her it’s inexplicable. But for me, it’s exact: the brink of autumn evening, at either of my aunties’ farms. I get the slip of leather, just a thin and dusty strap, light blonde. A sweet faint hay note, pale late summer dry. And then it turns.

 

Dry : Feathers. Dry, tawny, late summer evening dusty, warm, also clean. That cinnamon guess must be the orris? I’ve never noticed or sought out that note in scent descriptions, and I like it. And I’m glad that it appears to like me, too. Something faintly nut-like, like oak leaves or acorns, on the drydown.

 

I’ll be looking for a 5 mL (full, partial, even empty) for my scent library. This one is regal but wild. Warm, light, quick, and sharply, savagely precious. So glad for the opportunity to try this one!